The God Species withdrawn from Amazon – censorship?

I now understand indirectly from a high-level source in Amazon.co.uk that the complaints received about The God Species – which resulted in the book being taken offline by the company – may have been regarding its description as ‘hardback’ when in fact the copies sold are in a format known as ‘trade paperback’. This is not confirmed, and I have no evidence or confirmation in writing, but it seems most likely that this has not been the result of any malicious activity on the part of any individual, group of individuals or organisation. (This explanation also seems odd given that the screenshot below of the Amazon page when the book was offline clearly shows it listed as ‘paperback’ – so why anyone could have bought it expecting a hardback and then complained remains a mystery.)

However, it is clearly the case that had I not been able to draw attention to the situation with the help of so many other people on Twitter and elsewhere, that the matter would not have received much attention from Amazon – possibly for several days – and the book’s chances would have been quite effectively scotched during the most vital launch period. So I am hugely grateful for everyone who took action – but I should say clearly that I do not believe any longer that this is a case of ‘censorship’ or any kind. Instead, Amazon.co.uk’s automated processes kicked in response to complaints and the book was taken offline.

This does perhaps illustrate the dangers of market concentration when a single online bookseller now controls 70% of the UK market, and soon to be more if Amazon’s takeover of The Book Depository is waved through by the British competition authorities. It certainly seems unfair that a book can be sunk through so easily and with so little justification because Amazon.co.uk is so dominant in the market and so slow to respond to complaints. I would hope that it could learn from this saga and tighten up its processes so other books do not suffer a similar fate immediately after they are launched. It seems very clear that if the Twitter campaign had not snowballed so quickly, the situation would still be unresolved now.

Finally an apology for this website being unobtainable last night and this morning. The reason was bandwidth – it simply couldn’t cope with the volume of interest. Once again, thanks so much to everyone who stood up for The God Species – whether you agree with it or not. I am humbled by everyone’s commitment to protecting free speech – online democracy really works, and is sometimes the only way to hold big corporations to account.

Update 7pm Saturday 9 July – God Species back on Amazon!

I can only thank everyone who took part in the Twitter and email campaign to get it reinstated. I will now do my best, with my publisher, to find out what on earth happened. We still don’t know whether this is cockup or conspiracy – someone out there must know.

Starting some time on Friday morning a strange note appeared on the Amazon.co.uk page selling The God Species paperback. This read that the book had been withdrawn from sale “because a customer recently told us that the item he or she received was not as described”. Since then Amazon has stopped selling the book, and despite attempts by my publisher to resolve the situation the book is still not on sale.

Update: 3pm, Saturday

I now understand that Amazon is likely to have removed the book from sale because its automated systems received a number of similar complaints about the book. So a relatively small number of people, perhaps as few as five, can conspire to get a new work taken off Amazon’s web site. Amazon says it will quickly examine whether the complaints are justified but in the meantime potential customers arriving at its web site will be told the book is unavailable. The book’s reputation will be damaged because of the natural assumption that there is indeed something wrong with it that obliges Amazon to remove it from sale. Even if Amazon puts the book back on Monday afternoon, damage has been done.

Amazon needs to change the way it deals with complaints. Surely it should get someone to read the book before it decides to remove it from sale – or if the complaint is technical, such as a faulty batch of printed copies, there should be some way to ascertain this. Otherwise every single remotely controversial book will be subject to the same orchestrated campaign that appears to have blocked the sale of my book over the key launch weekend.

UPDATE – other outlets still online

Many people (e.g. the New Statesman’s Helen Lewis Hasteley in this excellent blogpost) have mentioned that this is a market domination problem with Amazon.co.uk, which holds a big majority of online sales, so has the potential to sink an author’s book if this kind of thing happens in the all-important first week after the launch. I agree. So here are some other options where the book is still available:

Although I cannot prove it, I now believe that this is a malicious attempt at censorship by individuals or organisations who find the content of The God Species threatening. That is also the conclusion drawn by Peter Forbes, who is reviewing the book for the Guardian, and wrote the following email to try to draw attention to this apparent attempt at censorship:

I believe this procedure is used for hardware purchased from Amazon which might have a problem. It is clearly inappropriate for books and seems to have been invoked for malicious reasons.

I have been in touch with Mark Lynas about this. I don’t know him, but being in the process of reviewing the book, I was horrified by what I saw on Amazon today and thought I should try to help. His publisher, Fourth Estate, has tried to get Amazon to remove this ban, without success so far. Mark and I suspect that this is an attempt by people who don’t like the message in the book. It is deplorable that Amazon allow such censorship on their site.

I am worried that if Amazon do not correct this very quickly other malign parties will notice this scam and take other books off the online market. Mark meanwhile is losing sales on his first weekend the book’s life. Pressure needs to be brought to bear on Amazon and I hope that the literary world will come together to make sure this happens.

As Peter Forbes says, if this is indeed a malicious action by – as seems most likely – anti-nuclear or anti-GM fanatics, then they have chosen their moment well. On the day after its release, The God Species was in the top couple of hundred for overall Amazon sales, and has now plummeted into the low thousands. If this was a spoiler for the launch it has unfortunately been all too successful.

That the book should be withdrawn completely from sale just a day after its launch is a disaster for me after the years of work I have put into writing and researching this material. That this could be the work of interested parties who find the message of the God Species too threatening is even more troubling. In a free society, surely open debate about all issues is paramount, and one of our most deeply-held values.

I should say for the record that all the environmentalists I know are equally committed as I am to free speech. Nor do I suspect that any of the mainstream green groups could have carried out such an act – I know many individuals within them and respect them for their integrity and commitment. This can only have been done by a freelance ‘extremist’, but has been regrettably successful so far.

To the reader: you may not agree with some of what is in The God Species, but if you want to stand up for free speech please tweet this page and put pressure on Amazon to put the book back on its shelves (@AmazonUK seems to be the official Twitter address). To try to stop people reading something that you disagree with can surely never be the way to win an argument in a free society.

UPDATE 12PM – Saturday 9 July

The Lay Scientist Martin Robbins has a blog post up about this. Meanwhile, a friend has contacted Amazon and received the following in response:

I understand that you want to purchase the item “The God Species: How the Planet Can Survive the Age of Humans [Paperback]”, however, you were prompted that this product is currently not being offered by Amazon.co.uk.

I have investigate the issue and I have found out that the product is currently not being offered by Amazo.co.uk because it is presently under review/investigation.

Please be informed that an item will be under review or investigation if series of reports from customers show that the item purchased was not as describe or has incorrect product details/description.

After the investigation, the product will be available for purchase through our website if the issue is resolved accordingly.

73 Comments

You suggest anti-nuclear or anti-GM fanatics got the book blocked on Amazon. Maybe…and if so they are despicable and very foolish. (I speak as someone who is sceptical about many matters nuclear, takes a case-by-case attitude on GM, and welcomes open debate on both.) Another possibility, though: religious fanatics who object to what they would see as abuse of the divine?

I agree hopefully just the work of some random young activist who thinks they are being clever. I do hope you find out for sure.

This type of apparent intolerance is just the next step for those that would shout ‘denier’ -chernobyly death denier or climate change denier or otherwise. A poltical tool, used to close down a debate, much like accusations of racism or bigotry stifled a genuine debate about immigration for a decade. It took Gordon Brown’s Sky microphone faux pax to puncture that issue. The BBC I believe just acknowledged this issue.

Amazing – after all this time – that Amazon should introduce quality control …. but seriously Mark, given how much playground abuse you have been hurling around, what do you expect? I don’t agree with an attempt to censor you – though I have a feeling you sticking a pie in the face of that hunky man was also considered an interference with free-speech … and I think it would be so funny if it was the loons of the god world who had taken exception. And this will do nothing but increase attention to your new found status as the most damascened person on the planet (how many moments have you had? what more is there to come?)

none, of course. but I have known mark in many guises – just not sure when he will stop spinning. Maybe he never will, which means this is another phase. Maybe he won’t in which case he is as conservative as some of his critics.

While this might indeed cost some sales in the short run, any such attempt at undermining a book will surely backfire. I expect much extra attention for the book from this stupid stunt, as well as quite a lot of complaints directed at Amazon.

I agree – it does seem a bit premature and Streisand Effect-naïve of Mark to view it as a “disaster”.

blendergasket9 July 2011 at 4:22 pm

“Banned in Amazon” is the new “Banned in Boston”

Julia9 July 2011 at 9:17 am

Hugh, you might be giving people ideas here.

Seriously Mark, do you expect people to listen to you on Nuclear Power, when you have not carried out any thorough investigation of the issues of Chernobyl, you rely on the one person who coordinated the UNSCEAR report. And seek back up support from a man who is building his career on nuclear reassurance. It is not good enough.. you were listened to on Climate Change after putting in the time to research it thoroughly.

So you agree with censorship of ideas that you don’t agree with? That clarifies the matter.

Julia9 July 2011 at 11:42 am

Of course not, I do object to poorly researched ideas being wrapped as fact.. and everyone else dismissed into ‘denial camps’

Julia9 July 2011 at 11:43 am

And I don’t think this is a case of censorship, but Mark is making mileage in publicity nonetheless

John A9 July 2011 at 3:21 pm

In your opinion, these are ‘poorly researched’ because they fail to come to the same conclusions that you have already come to.

But you do agree that certain points of view should be censored and vilified – except yours.

Thats perfectly clear.

Julia10 July 2011 at 11:21 am

I don’t know how you reached that conclusion.. but you are clearly not someone who reads carefully.

Pius XIV9 July 2011 at 4:29 pm

You want a “poorly researched ideas being wrapped as fact” ? How’s this for a total work of fiction being passed off as fact by a billion people: (and still for sale at Amazon): http://tinyurl.com/6386lqb

Now *there’s* a total work of fiction that should be censored!

Paul9 July 2011 at 9:20 am

Surely if you encourage people to add the book to their wishlists or contact Amazon directly asking to buy the book they’ll put it back on sale. After all, they’re a retailer who exist to make money. That would be a more proactive approach than feeling sorry for yourself and telling the internet that your book launch had been sabotaged. (I’d never heard of you before today so I’m not sure who would be bothered to sabotage you)

No such remark in Amazon Germany, as felix said, nor at the Amazon.com site (where you can get the Kindle version and preorder the hardcover). Neither is there any mentioning of this at the French Amazon site…

Amazon are remarkably slow at responding to complaints in this manner. For instance, when my book was published, Amazon cancelled someone’s order for it because it wasn’t available in their country, and they wrote a 1-star review of the book saying that they weren’t happy because it wasn’t available. In actual fact their review was on Amazon’s service, not my book.

It took over 18 months for Amazon to respond to my requests to evaluate the appropriateness of that review.

That should prompt a remove a book from Amazon!!!
(it also says ‘species’ – why defend the indefensible with ridiculous theories/excuses)

Amazon need to sort that mechanism out, lest others start to play silly games with other books that disgree with the worldview/politics.

Some juvenile activist playing silly buggers no doubt, as a writer this is a direct attack on Mark’s livelihood and reputation.

Just because some random activist doesn’t like what it says, possibly because he says the greens have lost their way.

Timed to take effect on the launch of his book, when publicity and demand will be at it’s highest must be really annoying. I do hope for the green movement that it is just the work of some lone activist, because otherwise this little stunt should backfire on them badly.

If it goes on, I’d be asking Amazon for details of the person involved to sue for loss of earnings.

This is awful if a true case of censorship, but are you sure there isn’t just a massive printing error, in which case this would be the prudent course of action to check the rest of the books in stock.

As it’s not withdrawn in other countries this actually seems the most likely. You’re maybe jumping to conclusions here.

Martin is correct. The “Review” listed above the Product Description (on the Amazon US page) is for “Six Degrees.” I’ll bet that this is the cause of your “censorship.” It’s okay to put reviews of previous works by an author on the back cover of a book, put putting it in the Editorial Reviews section of the Amazon page may be (and should be, IMO) verboten.

This would be a mistake on the part of your publisher. Tell them to fix it.

Riffler9 July 2011 at 10:49 am

So, I’ll order a few bibles, and complain that I received a work of fiction…?

I think you’re only hurting your credibility by crying “censorship” before you have any evidence that that’s what is happening. I’m sure there are plenty of more controversial books on Amazon than yours, and the only censorship I’ve heard of Amazon practicing is in the case of certain types of erotica and a pedophilia “instruction manual”.

Perhaps Amazon sold a defective copy of your book, and checking their stock after getting a complaint, found that many or all of their copies were defective. Or maybe it’s some other kind of foul-up. The point is you don’t know yet, but you’re eagerly playing the martyr card.

Is it not more likely that it’s a warehouse mix-up? They’ve sent someone the wrong book because the wrong book is on the shelf where the computer says The God Species should be. Now they have to send someone to find where they’ve put their actual copies of The God Species.

Actually, I think the best response to this censorship would be having everyone up in arms about it that has purchased ANYTHING from Amazon to return it with the same response. Amazon only responds to money and hurting their bottom line is the only timely method to get their attention.

There is always the possibility that somebody received a damaged book, complained and thereby switched on the Amazon quality machine which took a D3 action (Quality issues are usually controlled using an 8 discipline methodology, D3 is short term containment) and isolated the stock before moving off to deal with the next urgent issue. Being made up of people and probably too few at that (lean is profit), and therefore just a little bit crap, the Amazon quality machine hasn’t done much more. (D2-8 in a quality investigation quite often take a long time, particularly if stalling lets you deal with new issues and prevent further escapes).
I’d be looking at Occam’s razor for this one. Not as romantic but much more likely.

This does not look like censorship to me – it’s because the reviewer quotes listed on the Amazon page pertain to one of your other books, “Six Degrees”.

Given the prominence you’ve given to these quotes in the review section, I can see why some might find the product description misleading, particularly as your other books are not mentioned until later in the description.

As an American citizen I take great exception to any violation of our 1st Amendment, the right to free speech. I do not, however, know enoug about the author or his book in this instance to aid in waging a campaign against Amazon on another continent.

I think it was Quentin Crisp who suggested we ought to start from a position of no one having any rights. i.e. Equal choice and equal responsibility for all (my interpretation). If Amazon won’t play ball – fly the flag for somewhere else. Once they see you getting sales and publicity, they’ll jump back on board. They’re business and they are unlikely to turn down a financial opportunity.
Good luck.

Amazon.com is not a democracy, they are a private entity perfectly at liberty to sell or not sell any product they wish. You have no inherent right to have your product available there. They could decide not to carry it because of content, author, phase of moon or color of the cover and while it might be prejudice, it’s not censorship – Your right to free speech does not obligate them to sell it.

Under your definition, Richard Dawkins may as well call it censorship when The God Delusion isn’t carried by Christian bookstores. Amazon isn’t a government and it isn’t a utility. They get to decide what to sell just like every other bookstore, based on whatever criteria they deem fit. It isn’t censorship when somebody has an opportunity to sell your product and elects not to.

By all means, call them out for the decision (if you turn out to be right about their reasons). Call it suppression, or prejudice, or favoritism, or pandering, or unfair – but don’t call it censorship, that’s just silly.

I think we should all twitter them to death. Use the power of twitter to put pressure on them. Also, I think u play this up. Each of us should contact our TV and newspapers about this censorship attempt. They started the battle, it is time for u to win the war. I have no interest in reading the book, not my genre, however, I hate the thought of censorship.
So, u fight fire with fire (so to speak). Bring as much attention to the sabotage attempt and the result will be 2 fold. One, it will put pressure, and 2, it will sell more copies of your book. Threatening legal action could work too. Whether or not u follow through won’t matter. This is a clear violation of the first amendment. And if that westboro church scum bags can win at that, so can u. For those of u who aren’t american, let me tell u what they do. They are a small congregation of idiots who protest at people who have died that are “famous” or military and say god hates them and gays and all non americans and they deserved to die. They protest only 1000 feet away from mourning families who have lost loved ones. And they won that right in a court of law. Shameful. Use that. Set up the lawsuit in this country, if u can. I guarantee u that u would win should it go to court. Then u could sue for damages etc.
good luck, hope my ideas helped u at all.
Dan

No publicity is bad publicity. This idiocy will wind up generating far more sales for you than you may have lost. Over here in the U.S., this is the best kind of pre-publication news story. Go over to Amazon U.S. and check out how many people have pre-ordered your book since this news hit the wires on Friday.

I myself had never heard either of you or of your book until I read this story in the Guardian online today. I’ve since accessed several positive reviews and pre-ordered your book at Amazon. I’m sure there are many others who have done the same. Chin up!

So, effectively, your book has been banned? I’m not sure that you could BUY publicity like this! You should immediately make it available on the myriad self or independent publishing websites in the US and UK with a large print blurb about getting this banned book now. Then refuse to sell it on Amazon whatever they decide. “BANNED BY AMAZON! SEE WHAT All the FUSS is about and decide for yourself!”

You may be an emotive, superficial and misguided writer about climate change, but you are still entitled to be heard. Especially since recently you have displayed an openness to changing your opinions in some areas at least. If you can move from throwing things, literally, in the faces of people who are wiser and better-informed than you are, that is progress. If you can modify your views after absorbing relevant information, that is even more progress. I could understand it if Amazon chose to block you because of your past violence, but not merely because of some yet-to-be-shared-with-us complaints from perhaps just one of their customers.

Automatic censorship (if that is what happened, which it probably is) is always a bad thing. Tons of videos of the brutal repression of the Arab uprisings were flagged on youtube for being gory, which they were, but they were re-granted access after being reviewed. Since the media was primarily passed around via twitter the window of their importance was razor thin, so blocking them for a little while effectively took them out of the public view for the period of time they would otherwise be careening around the righteous indignation factory that is twitter.

Also, false accusations of copyright infringement have been used repeatedly to quell political speech.

Any automated censorship system is going to be abused by people who don’t want the truth or dissenting opinions broadcast.

I’ve been boycotting Amazon since they stopped serving Wikileaks on their cloud and I wasn’t about to stop the boycott, but this sure isn’t helping my opinion of them.

I read the whole article and nowhere does the author mention what the basic message of the book was nor why someone might want to have this book censored. Stating the former might make the latter obvious, but as it stands a little more info might be useful.

The same thing happened to Monckton (whatever your views on AGW) in Australia. They banned him from talking in many venues that received complaints from AGW fanatics. Its helped him no end to get more attention and now hes been invited to one of the greatest possible exposure programs ABC lunch talk

I think I’m going to have to look elsewhere to buy my books because this really is the last straw.

After the whole thing with LGBT books being removed, I put it down to books with a certain tag being removed by accident (as there were some non-LGBT books) but… yeah, this is just the last straw. I’m done with you, Amazon.

Lynas’ book is freely available for preorder on Amazon’s Canadian and US sites, for release August 9 and November 1, respectively.

So as far as I can tell, this is NOT some conspiracy at Amazon to suppress the book, but rather likely efforts by enviro-whackjobs to do so.

Disclosure: I do work for Amazon. I am not authorized to speak on behalf of the company, and I couldn’t tell you what amazon.co.uk is doing or not doing to look into this matter, but I do want to emphasize that the evidence as I personally see it does not suggest ‘censorship’ on Amazon’s part.

FWIW, the page in your screen capture may or may not be the page seen and ordered from by the buyers who complained. Note that there *is* a listing for a hardback version, but it is “Currently unavailable. We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock.” If there never was a hardback version, this listing (before it was marked as “unavailable”) may have been the source of the problem.